Hour One of Mike Francesa’s return to WFAN will include an appearance from perhaps his most infamous guest — and one who knows a thing or two about awkward reunions.
Alex Rodriguez will join the Sports Pope on the air at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday after Francesa makes his highly-anticipated opening monologue, which will kick off his new 3 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. “Mike’s On” show and put an end to his brief retirement, according to WFAN producer Brian Monzo.
The upcoming chat comes five years after A-Rod’s most memorable interview with Francesa, which occurred the same day the Yankees star stormed out of his arbitration hearing where he was contesting the 211-game doping suspension handed down by then-MLB commissioner Bud Selig.
An independent arbitrator later reduced the ban to 162 games for the 2014 season, which Rodriguez ultimately accepted. But Rodriguez denied all wrongdoing to Francesa in that scorched-earth interview.
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“I shouldn’t serve one inning,” he said in 2013.
Alex Rodriguez (left) will join Mike Francesa during the opening hour of the Sports Pope's return to WFAN on Tuesday.
(John Lamparski/Getty Images; Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)A-Rod finally admitted last year that he “made an ass” of himself during his war against the league, the players' union, and the Yankees, where he now serves as a special advisor in addition to his Sunday Night Baseball analyst gig.
Francesa isn’t expected to echo that sentiment nor apologize to his one-time replacement trio of Chris Carlin, Maggie Gray and Bart Scott. "Mea culpa" is simply not in the Pope's parlance, even when one would ease an uncomfortable situation at WFAN.
But if there’s one thing Francesa should ask A-Rod, it’s how to master an apology tour.